United We Pay

Proposed tax may not score points with local soccer fans

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WASHINGTON - AUGUST 09: Fans look on before a game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and D.C. United at RFK Stadium on August 9, 2007 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Even if you see DC United win at RFK Stadium, you may still end up losing -- cash, that is. One D.C. Council member wants to charge you an extra fee to watch your favorite sports team.

Harry Thomas Jr. is proposing a ticket tax to help compensate for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department’s dwindling budget, according to the Washington Post. Under his plan, you’d pay an extra 50 cents on tickets that cost $25.01 or less; you’d pay an extra dollar for tickets that cost more than that. The fee won’t apply for tickets that are $10.01 or cheaper. Thomas believes this will generate about $3.7 million a year for the District.

This bill may not sit well with DC United fans. That’s because the Nationals would be exempt under it because of an earlier agreement with the District. So would teams that play at the Verizon Center -- which is home to the Wizards, Capitals, Mystics, and Georgetown basketball -- "unless the arena owner agrees to accept the tax," the Post reported.

That leaves DC United as one of the only teams affected by the potential tax.

“We look forward to discussing this issue with the council and the mayor’s office at the earliest opportunity,” DC United President and Chief Executive Kevin Payne told the Post. “I’m sure our fans would like to see the District better maintain RFK Stadium and its grounds and parking lots, if they’re going to be asked to pay more in ticket taxes."

Published at 8:17 AM EDT on May 12, 2010 | Updated at 8:31 AM EDT on May 12, 2010